Plaster decorating tool



{are ATTORNEYS May 16, 1933. F. AMBROSIO PLASTER DECORATING TOOL FiledApril 19, 1932 aflli of wall.

l atented May 16, 1933 TATES FRANK AMBROSIO, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORKPLASTEB DECORATING 'roon Application filed April 19,

This invention relates to plastering tools and has particular referenceto a tool for embossing the surface of plaster to provide variousdecorative effects.

The decoration of plaster as performed heretofore involved the use ofstippling brushes or stippling tools and produced a uniform effectdevoid of decoration and one which is monotonous over a large expanseThe decoration of plaster by im pressing designs therein formerlyinvolved a considerable amount of labor and expense and accounts for thefact that it has not been done to a greater extent.

. According to the present invention a tool is provided whereby variousdecorative effects in plaster may be obtained by means of a group ofdecorating elements carried thereby, which have any one or more of a 0number of different shapes and difierent sizes and which are impressedin the plaster when it is wet to form group designs therein.

The new tool includes a back plate or holder provided with a handle andhaving a series of spaced apertures or holes adapted to receive theseparate decorating elements in various combinations depending on thesizes of the elements used or upon the design, spacing or arrangement ofthe decorations which it is desired to produce on the plaster wall.These decorating elements comprise a concave disc of resilient materialhaving the outline of the desired design and fitted with a plug which isof such dimension as to fit closely within one of the apertures of theback plate or holder. The concave di c spreads and forces the plasterinradial directions with its edges as it flattens out under pressure, sothat a ridge forming the desired design is formed in the soft plaster.l/Vhen the pressure on the disc is released the natural resiliency ofthe disc causes it to return to its normal concave shape so that itsedges withdraw from the ridge of plas' ter, which accordingly is leftundisturbed and remains sharply defined on the wall. In order to preventdistortion of the soft plaster by the air trapped between the concavedisc and the wall and by the suction thereof, a passage leads fromwithin the 1932. Serial No. 606,139.

concavity in the disc to relieve the air pressure and break the suction.Also, in order to maintain the flexible disc in proper shape duringoperation of the tool, studs are provided on the rear surface of thedisc which engage the surface of the holder or back plate as theelements flatten out, whereby they are maintained rigid and firm duringthe decorating operation despite their inherent flexibility.

Simply by removing decorating elements of one design from the holder orback plate and inserting elements of another design therein, variousdecorative combinations can be obtained to produce pleasing surfaceeffects on the plaster. This arrangement also enables rapid and easyreplacement of worn decorating elements with new ones. Also, inasmuch asthe back plate has con siderable area, consistent with ready handling,it carries a considerable number of the decorating elements, so that aworkman may treat a large portion of the wall surface within acomparatively short time.

For a more complete understanding of the 70 invention reference may behad to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a cross-sectionthrough the new device as seen along the line of l1 of Fig. 2, andillustrates the manner in which the tool is applied to the surface of awall;

Fig. 2 is a face view of the back plate or holder, showing thearrangement of the holes and two arrangements of the elements in theseholes;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-section through one of the decoratingelements as seen along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the manner in which the design isimpressed in the plaster by the design disc of the element; and

Fig. 5 illustrates the manner in which the design disc of the elementwithdraws itself from the edges of the impression in the plaster whenthe pressure on the tool is released.

In the drawing numeral designates a holder or back plate having theopposite brackets 11 connected by a handle 12. This back plate ispreferably made of metal, such as aluminum, and pierced with a series ofspaced holes 13. These holes 13 are arranged in such a way that theywill accommodate decorating elements of various sizes and in variouscombinations and arrangements. For example, the holes are arranged inrectangular groups of four, with one hole, 13, between the four holes ofeach group, and the holes are spaced apart in linear directions toaccommodate small decorating elements in close relation but withoutoverlapping. The center holes 13 within each group of four holes arearranged for the reception of large decorating elements withoutoverlapping, as is illustrated in Fig. 2. It will be seen that with thisarrangement practically any desirable combination or arrangement ofdecorating elements of various shapes and sizes may be obtained withoutinterference with the adjacent elements.

The individual decorating elements have a peculiar structure which hasimportant advantages in the operation of the tool and the decoration ofthe plaster. These elements are preferably formed of flexible material,such as rubber, and the material is of such thickness and flexibility asto provide sufficient inherent rigidity to displace the plaster and yetbe sufficiently flexible to yield to the pressure which is appliedthereto.

These elements comprise a conical plug 14 which is adapted to fitclosely within one o' the openings 13 or 13 in the holder 10, and aconcave disc 15 on the outer end of the plug 14;. This disc 15 has theoutline of the decoration which it is desired to impress in the plaster.For example, as shown in Fig. 2, the discs 15 of larger decoratingelements may have a leaf outline, while the smaller decorating elementsmay have a blossom or flower outline, or vice versa. The discs 15 mayhave various other outlines which may be desirable, such as stars,crescents, leaves of difi'erent shapes, flowers of different shapes,figures, designs, and the like, each element having the characteristicstructure illustrated in Fig. 3.

The concavity of the disc 15 communicates with the atmosphere through apassage 16, preferably formed in the plug 14, and on the rear surface ofthe disc 15 of the larger sized element is provided a plurality ofspaced integral studs or pins 17 which engage the surface of the backplate 10 when the disc 15 is flattened out in the manner illustrated inFig. 4. These studs or pins 17 support and render rigid the edges of thedisc 15 when the latter is pressed into contact with the surface of thewall. Because the smaller decorating elements have no large unsupporteddisc, they need not be provided with these supporting pins or studs 17,in asmuch as the inherent stiffness of the material is sufficient toprovide a firm contact between the disc of the small decorating elementand the surface of the wall. Otherwise the structure of the smalldecorating element is the same as that of the larger element illustratedin Figs. 3 and 4.

In preparing the new plaster decorating tool of this invention for use,the workman selects the decorating elements of appropriate design andsize, and arranges them on the holder or back plate 10 in any desirablemanner to procure predetermined arrangement and design of decoration inthe plaster. This is done by inserting the plug 1 1 of the decoratingelement in the appropriate hole or socket 13 or 13 of the back plate.Because the plugs 14 are of standard size and the holes 13 are also ofstandard size, they cooperate in such a way that the discs 15 of all ofthe elements mounted on the holder or back plate 10 lie in the betweenthem and the surface of the wall is forced out through the passage 16,so that it cannot flow out around the edges of the discs 15 and distortthe plaster. The flattening action of each disc 15 spreads the plasterin radial directions and forms a ridge in the plaster in the mannerillustrated in Fig. 5, this ridge forming the outline of the design inthe plaster. As each disc 15 flattens out, the studs 17 on the edgethereof ice engage the surface of the holder or back plate 10 and form asupport therefor, so

that all portions thereof engage the plaster with substantially the samedegree of pressure. This is important, since the plaster offers avarying degree of resistance to displacement, especially when it ishardening or contains hard particles, as in the case of stucco, forexample. Thus a shape and clear design is formed in the plaster underpractically any circumstances.

When the tool is released from the wall the inherent flexibility of thematerial from which the disc 15 is made causes it to restore itself toits normal concave shape, which results in the withdrawal of the edgesthereof from the ridge of plaster previously formed thereby. This actionis illustrated in Fig. 5 and is of importance for the reason that whenthe tool is thereafter withdrawn from the surface of the wall the edgesof the discs 15 will not drag on and accordingly break the ridges ofplaster previously formed thereby. Also the gradual release of thesurface of the disc 15 from the plaster causes it to roughen the plasterslightly, so that a uniform and pleasmg surface is provided. The airpassage 16 also relieves the suction created by the release of theconcave disc 15, so that the plaster is not disturbed for that reason.

It will be seen that by means of the new tool of this invention, manypleasing designs of various shapes and arrangement may be made on aplaster Wall With ease and rapidity, and that the design and arrangement of the decoration may be altered at Will simply by substitutingother decorating elements, Which are provided With the holder.

I claim:

1. In a plaster decorating tool, the combination of a holder having aplurality of spaced apertures, and a plurality of individual plasterdecorating elements of different design, each having a plug removablyinsertable in any one of the holder apertures.

.2. In a plaster decorating tool, the combination of a holder and aplurality of plaster decorating discs of resilient material mounted onthe holder, said discs each having a concave surface and fancifuloutline.

3. In a plaster decorating tool, the combination of a holder and aplurality of plaster decorating discs of resilient material mounted onthe holder, said discs each having a concave surface and air reliefpassage leading from the concave surface.

In a plaster decorating tool, the combination of a holder and aplurality of plaster decorating discs of resilient material mcunted onthe holder, said discs each having supporting means adjacent their edgesfor engaging the holder.

5. In a plaster decorating tool, the com bination of a holder and aplurality of plaster decorating discs of resilient mate rial mounted onthe holder, said discs each having a concave surface and supportingmeans adjacent their edges for engaging the holder when the disc isflattened.

6. In a plaster decorating tool, the combination of a holder and aplurality of plaster decorating discs of resilient material mounted onthe holder, said discs each having a concave surface, supporting meansadjacent their edges for engaging the hold or and air relief passageleading from the concave surface.

7. In a plaster decorating tool, the combination of a holder having aplurality of spaced apertures, a plug removably inserted in at least oneof the apertures, and a resilient disc on the plug having a fancifuloutline.

8. In a plaster decorating tool, the combination of a holder having aplurality of spaced apertures, a plug removably inserted in at least oneof the apertures, and a concave disc of resilient material on the plughaving a fanciful design and adapted to displace plaster With its edgesWhen flattened against the same.

9. In a plaster decorating tool, the combination of a holder having aplurality of spaced apertures, a plug removably inserted in at least oneof the apertures, and a concave disc of resilient material on the plug,said plug having an air relief passage leading from the concave surfacedisc.

10. In a plaster decorating tool, the combination of a concave disc offlexible material having a fanciful outline, and a holder attached tothe disc for applying the latter to a soft surface, said disc beingadapted to be flattened by pressure to displace the material of thesurface With its edges and Witl draw its edges from the displacedmaterial upon release of the pressure thereon.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

FRANK AMBROSIO.

